Reorganisation of Leicester/Leicestershire Councils

[davieG]

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-government-reorganisation-invitation-to-local-authorities-in-two-tier-areas/letter-leicestershire-leicester-and-rutland

 

To: Leaders of two-tier councils and unitary councils in and neighbouring Leicestershire

Blaby District Council
Charnwood Borough Council
Harborough District Council
Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council
Leicestershire County Council
Melton Borough Council
North West Leicestershire District Council
Oadby and Wigston Borough Council
Leicester City Council
Rutland County Council

From: Jim McMahon OBE MP
Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution

5 February 2025

 

 

Leicestershire's Options

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgee1zw8zxo

 

 

 

Leicester's Proposal.

 

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/towns-could-become-part-leicester-10037986

 

Towns that could become part of Leicester revealed
The move would see Leicester's population almost double

News
ByHannah RichardsonLocal Democracy Reporter
17:14, 19 MAR 2025

 

Aerial photo of the city centre of Leicester in the UK showing houses and apartment building on a sunny summers day
Leicester's borders could expand into the county as part of the plan

Leicester leaders have revealed the areas they want to be incorporated into the city amid a shake-up of local government structures. The massive expansion plan would see a number of towns and villages at the city’s edges brought inside Leicester’s boundary.

Leicester City Council is looking to take part of Blaby and Harborough districts, and part of Oadby and Wigston and Charnwood boroughs. Among the communities being eyed up are Glenfield, Oadby, Wigston, Blaby, Whetstone, Syston, Anstey, Leicester Forest East, Birstall, Kirby Muxloe, Thurmaston and Countesthorpe. See below a map of the proposed new Leicester.

The authority’s proposal would see the city's population grow from 372,000 now to just over 600,000 by 2028. The city council has described it as a “sensible expansion”.

READ MORE:Historic Leicester visitor attraction to shut amid major shake-up of museum opening hours

It comes as Leicestershire's local authorities respond to Government plans to reorganise local democracy structures. The Government wants to do away with two-tier structures, which the county of Leicestershire has at the moment.

Currently, the county is governed by Leicestershire County Council, which oversees topics such as social care, tips, education and highways, and the seven district and borough councils, which are responsible for matters such as bin collections, local planning decisions, including new housing, and parks.

Leicester and Rutland are different to the county because they have their own, single-tier councils - Leicester City Council and Rutland County Council - which are each responsible for all services in their respective areas. While all of our local political leaders appear to agree that the restructure is going to happen, they do not agree on what the county’s political make-up should be going forward.

City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said this afternoon (Wednesday, March 19): “Any realistic option for local government reorganisation in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland must address the historic accident of our city’s boundaries. Leicester is one of the most tightly constrained major cities in the UK. When you compare Leicester to cities like Bradford, Leeds or Sheffield, our population density is huge because our city covers such a relatively small area – less than a fifth of those cities.

 

 

“That’s because, in the 1970s, when the country’s non-metropolitan districts were determined, the boundaries of most other cities were extended while ours have remained largely unchanged since the 1920s. Critically, our almost uniquely constrained boundary means that now – unlike comparable cities – we have no chance of delivering the extra housing that our city so desperately needs within existing confines.”

LEICESTER, ENGLAND - JUNE 28: Mayor of Leicester Peter Soulsby stands outside a walk-in mobile Covid-19 testing centre in Spinney Hill Park on June 28, 2020 in Leicester, England. In a television appearance on Sunday, British Home Secretary Priti Patel confirmed the government was considering a local lockdown after a spike in coronavirus cases in the city. (Photo by Darren Staples/Getty Images)

All local leaders seem to agree that Leicester should remain separate from the county, as things stand. There is disagreement over whether Rutland should join with the county or not, and how many county authorities there should be - one for the whole of Leicestershire, or two, each covering half of Leicestershire.

Local political leaders also disagree on whether Leicester should expand its borders.

The leaders of the county council and the districts and boroughs initially said they supported the expansion of the city into what is currently county territory, but later rowed back on that position after the county council’s bid to fast-track the restructuring process was rejected by the Government.

Leicester City Council believes it needs to grow in size to help it remain financially viable – and so it can meet Government-set housing targets.

Sir Peter said: “The county and district councils all know that the existing city boundary makes no sense and has to change. The Conservative leader of the county council and the Liberal Democrat leader of Rutland joined me in writing to the Minister in January saying those boundaries should be extended."

If the county's request to fast-track the restructuring of local democracy, which included the plan to expand the city, had been successful, this year’s county council elections would not have gone ahead. Because the request was rejected, the elections will now proceed as normal, and the initial agreement of all parts of Leicestershire and of Rutland that the city could expand has fallen apart.

Sir Peter said: “Unfortunately, although understandably, the forthcoming county elections mean they have chosen to withdraw from that initial proposal. I hope that we will be able to return to sensible discussions about where boundary lines should be drawn after the May elections.”

Three interim plans for local reorganisation are expected to be submitted to the Government ahead of this Friday’s deadline.

The county council is asking for one Leicestershire council, with separate Leicester and Rutland authorities, all of which would operate on existing boundaries. The districts, boroughs and Rutland believe the county should be split in two, with a north-south divide. Under their plan, Rutland would join with the northern authority, while Leicester would again remain separate. They also want existing boundaries to be honoured.

The details of Leicester City Council's plan were not known until today's announcement. If Leicester's proposal is accepted by the Government, there will ultimately be one county authority, with Leicester and Rutland to remain separate, and Leicester expanding.

 

 

 

[izzymuzzet]

I have a passing interest in this stuff because of my job. The option leaving Rutland as a seperate council looks like a non-starter - it's too small. The North/South/City division looks more likely but where you draw the city boundary isn't straightforward.

[kenny]

20 minutes ago, izzymuzzet said:

I have a passing interest in this stuff because of my job. The option leaving Rutland as a seperate council looks like a non-starter - it's too small. The North/South/City division looks more likely but where you draw the city boundary isn't straightforward.

I also have a passing interest.

 

What's important is that blaby is left in the county.

 

[blabyboy]

Hands off my borough! I have no desire for the city folk to be miss-running the services afforded in Blaby. Leicestershire County Council do that perfectly well on their own thank you very much.

 

...and Sir soulless as Mayor can bugger off too.

[westernpark]

I hope Fosse Shopping park becomes part of Leicester city council and it is either knocked down or they charge for parking.

[Sly]

56 minutes ago, westernpark said:

I hope Fosse Shopping park becomes part of Leicester city council and it is either knocked down or they charge for parking.

Isn’t it privately owned? 

[westernpark]

1 minute ago, Sly said:

Isn’t it privately owned? 

Don’t ruin a dream 

[Bellend Sebastian]

2 minutes ago, Sly said:

Isn’t it privately owned? 

By the Crown Estate, I believe

[MattFox]

Very strong prospect we’ll lose the biggest city in the East Midlands status to Nottingham through this

 

They seem very likely to get expanded boundaries where as Leicestershire seems much more less inclined to support it

Edited 20 March by MattFox

[Otis]

13 hours ago, westernpark said:

I hope Fosse Shopping park becomes part of Leicester city council and it is either knocked down or they charge for parking.

Why?

[Parafox]

23 hours ago, westernpark said:

I hope Fosse Shopping park becomes part of Leicester city council and it is either knocked down or they charge for parking.

 

 

You've been  

 

Please give your reasons.

[Parafox]

11 hours ago, MattFox said:

Very strong prospect we’ll lose the biggest city in the East Midlands status to Nottingham through this

 

They seem very likely to get expanded boundaries where as Leicestershire seems much more less inclined to support it

 

Do we really care about Nottingham. Or does size matter to you?

[Jattdogg]

Maybe Russia or the USA can just take over?

[westernpark]

9 hours ago, Otis said:

Why?

I always worry about its impact on the city centre. Of course my comments are hyperbole but I try and avoid the place out of principle.

Some people won’t care and just see an excellent place to shop, which is fair enough.

[Vacamion]

 

I, for one, look forward to Leicester's Anschluß of Wigston into Greater Leicester.

 

Shock Troops from The Saff and Knighton will march triumphantly over the border crossing points at the Blue Bridge on Stonesby Avenue, the bottom of Shackerdale Road, and at Welford Road by The Stage, where adoring  locals will throw flowers at their feet to welcome them in.

 

Today Big Leicester.  Tomorrow the world.

 

 

[davieG]

12 hours ago, westernpark said:

I always worry about its impact on the city centre. Of course my comments are hyperbole but I try and avoid the place out of principle.

Some people won’t care and just see an excellent place to shop, which is fair enough.

It does impact but only large brands. What’s been missed more is small independent businesses that have moved online unable to justify the rents and business rates plus the obvious parking costs that keep people out.
 The same is now happening in the surrounding towns where many moved to as they introduce parking charges. People won’t want to pay that when they may just want to visit one shop. 

[lcfc278]

12 hours ago, Vacamion said:

 

I, for one, look forward to Leicester's Anschluß of Wigston into Greater Leicester.

 

Shock Troops from The Saff and Knighton will march triumphantly over the border crossing points at the Blue Bridge on Stonesby Avenue, the bottom of Shackerdale Road, and at Welford Road by The Stage, where adoring  locals will throw flowers at their feet to welcome them in.

 

Today Big Leicester.  Tomorrow the world.

 

 

As we speak my comrades in East Norton, Little Dalby and Wymondham are at the ready to begin our march to begin taking Rutland back.

[broadstone fox]

Leave Anstey alone

Already ruined by new housing estates

[Muzzy_no7]

You can guarantee that even with any proposed savings through combining some councils they will still increase council tax every year and not spend it where the public actually want it. 

[CosbehFox]

As along as Rutland is swallowed up, I see they are making overtures to Lincs